UNIT PLAN / CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENT PLAN
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
This memorandum of agreement made this 16th day of November 2005 between Ramapo College
of New Jersey, (College) and the Council of New Jersey State College Locals, AFT, AFL-CIO,
Local 2274, (Union), the parties to this Memorandum of Agreement. The purpose of this
Memorandum is to set forth the understanding and agreement of the parties related to the
implementation of the Unit Plan, also know as the Curriculum Enhancement Program (CEP).
PREAMBLE:
The Unit Plan enhances and strengthens course curricula and design, student instruction,
advisement and mentoring, grant writing, special projects, and enables faculty to perform other
college/community service and duties. The Unit Plan is a comprehensive workload model which
enables faculty to teach and conduct research. It strengthens general education and curriculum,
and more effectively supports the College mission. The Unit Plan provides faculty with a work
load of 24 credit hours consisting of 6 teaching units and one flex unit per academic year.
The parties hereby agree as follows:
1. To adopt a faculty curriculum and work load model consistent with Article XII B of the
Full Time/Part Time Collective Negotiations Agreement between the State of New Jersey
and the Council of New Jersey State College Locals dated July 1, 2003 through June 30,
2007. This model shall be called, the “Unit Plan.” All past and existing practices and/or
policies within the College related to faculty work load as governed by this Memorandum
of Agreement are hereby waived, and shall be of no effect.
2. The College shall use its best efforts to implement the Unit Plan on or before September
1, 2006. Unless otherwise stated all provisions of this Memorandum of Agreement shall
become effective upon implementation of the Unit Plan.
3. Cooperation - With respect to negotiable issues, the Union agrees to work with the
College to ensure that the Unit Plan has a neutral impact on the budget, and either a
neutral or positive impact on the adjunct rate (adjunct rate referring to the number of FTE
adjunct faculty required to deliver the academic programs), and that the work load system
is fair, equitable and transparent across Schools and Programs.
The implementation of the Unit Plan is a major change in the manner in which instruction
is offered at the College, and as such, impacts many sectors of the College operation.
Accordingly, the parties agree to continue discussions on negotiable issues after the
implementation of the Unit Plan to assure that the goals of the Unit Plan, including
neutral impact on the budget, and a neutral or positive impact on the adjunct rate are
achieved.
4. Faculty Work Load – The teaching work load of all tenured and tenured track full time
faculty shall be 24 credit hours consisting of 6 teaching units and one flex unit. Each
teaching unit shall be 3.6 credits for a total of 21.6 teaching credits per academic year. In
addition, faculty shall complete one flex unit each academic year during which nonteaching duties within load shall be performed. Each flex unit shall be 2.4 credits.
Only Fall and Spring semesters count for full load. The Faculty Work Load as described
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in this Agreement is equivalent to the contractual requirement of 24 teaching credit hours
as set forth in Article XII B. of the Full Time/Part Time Collective Negotiations
Agreement.
If a faculty member elects not to do a flex unit, the faculty member shall teach a 7th unit
with a portion of that unit being paid at the overload rate. (See Section 6 below.)
When a faculty member agrees to do the flex unit, but fails to do the unit or does not
satisfy his/her convening group and Dean that the flex unit was completed in a
satisfactory manner, that faculty member shall have a 7th teaching unit for the subsequent
two academic years in accordance with the terms of paragraph 6 below.
5. Flex Unit
Specific flex unit activities and responsibilities will be proposed by the faculty member
and the relevant convening group with the approval of the Unit Dean in accordance with
a schedule to be determined by the Office of the Provost. Said schedule shall be tied to
the Academic Calendar.
Proposed flex unit activities and responsibilities must further the goals and objectives of
the Unit and Convening Group and be consistent with the Mission of the College.
Flex unit activities include, but are not limited to:
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Scholarly and professional development projects, including research projects
with students.
Convenorships.
Development of courses that are needed and new to the relevant convening
group.
Introduction or enhancement of technology in a course and/or training in the use
of technology.
Program management or other administrative assignments
Outreach on behalf of the College and its programs specifically coordinated by
an administrative office.
An annual report on the flex unit activities and responsibilities shall be prepared by the
faculty member on or before May 30. The report shall include the name of the faculty
member, identify the flex unit activities and responsibilities and provide evidence of its
status. The convening group shall review and comment on the report and make
appropriate recommendation(s) to the faculty member and forward such to the Dean who
may propose any further action as appropriate to the faculty member and the convening
group.
Disputes regarding flex unit assignments shall be resolved in accordance with the
provisions of Article XII (B) (7). Flex unit administrative assignment and responsibilities
may also be made by the College, and nothing contained in this Agreement shall be
deemed to modify the rights of the parties as set forth in Article XII (B) (7) of the AFT
contract.
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6. Overload – In accordance with Article XII (B) (1) overload shall be paid for teaching
assignments above 24 teaching credit hours.
When a faculty member completes 6 teaching units at 21.6 credits, the approved flex unit
activities and responsibilities at 2.4 credits for a total of 24 credits, and with the approval
of the Dean teaches an additional unit, overload is to be paid for teaching assignments
above 24 credit hours.
When a faculty member teaches 6 units at 21.6 credits, does not do a flex unit project, but
teaches a 7th unit at 3.6 credits for a total of 25.2 credits, overload shall be paid for
teaching assignments above 24 teaching credit hours. In such case the parties agree that
the provision in Article XII B. 1 of the AFT agreement providing that overload is not
mandatory is hereby waived, and it is agreed that the College may require a faculty
member to teach a 7th unit.
When the faculty member agrees to do the flex unit, but fails to do or complete the flex
unit he/she shall teach a 7th unit for the following two academic years as set forth above
in paragraph 4. In such case the parties agree that the provision in Article XII B. 1 of the
AFT agreement providing that overload is not mandatory is hereby waived, and it is
agreed that the College may require a faculty member to teach the 7th unit.
7. Adjunct Faculty – In accordance with the Collective Negotiations Agreement between
the State of New Jersey and the Council of New Jersey State College Locals, AFT, AFLCIO, Adjunct Unit dated July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2007, Adjunct Faculty shall be
paid at the contractual per credit adjunct rate multiplied by the number of teaching credit
hours assigned. The parties agree to revisit the rate of compensation for adjuncts in
accordance with Article XIV of the Adjunct Unit Agreement in the Spring 2007.
8. Teaching Load of Temporary Full Time Faculty/Overload – Temporary Full Time
Faculty shall teach 7 units or 25.2 teaching credit hours. Compensation at the overload
rate shall be paid for teaching assignments above 24 teaching credit hours. It is
expressly understood and agreed that the 7th teaching unit may be mandated as noted in
paragraph 6 above.
9. Teaching Load of Part/Half Time Temporary Faculty/Overload - The teaching work
load of temporary full time faculty teaching one semester only shall be up to 4 units or
14.4 teaching credit hours per semester. If the temporary full time faculty member is
asked to continue employment during the subsequent spring semester he or she shall be
assigned 3 additional units, or a total of 25.2 teaching credit hours for the academic year,
becoming a full time temporary employee, and he/she shall be paid in accordance with
paragraphs 6 and 8 above. Overload shall only be paid for teaching assignments above 24
teaching credit hours.
If the temporary faculty member is appointed for a full academic year on part time basis
he/she shall teach up to 4 units or 14.4 teaching credit hours.
Part/Half time faculty will be paid in accordance with Article XXI (J) of the AFT
Agreement.
10. Overload Limits
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No faculty member shall carry more than one unit of overload beyond the 7th unit in a
given year. The Dean may authorize an additional overload unit beyond the 7th unit
where there is a clear and compelling need. The additional unit assignment shall be
granted upon the written approval of the Dean. The additional overload unit will be
granted only with clear evidence of faculty involvement in advising, mentoring and
course/curriculum enhancement, and with a clear and compelling curricular need.
Nothing contained herein shall be construed to limit the College’s managerial prerogative
with respect to the assignment of teaching and non teaching duties. (See Section 17
below.)
11. Extra Class Activity – To facilitate College efforts to significantly enhance teaching
and learning without excessive costs to the College, the faculty will incorporate into the
syllabus and class instruction extra class activity opportunities, such as participation in
convocation, colloquia, seminars and guest speaker programs. Such extra class activity
will be incorporated into the curriculum after consultation with the Convening Group and
Dean.
12. Released Time/Reassigned Time
Effective September 1, 2006, all administrative, in load or other assignments or projects
performed by faculty for which released time was granted, including convenerships and
directorships, but excluding released time awarded pursuant to Article X (G) (2) of the
Full Time/Part Time Collective Negotiations Agreement, shall be performed by faculty as
service to the College and the Community and/or as a part of the flex unit. No additional
released/reassigned time may be awarded for such assignments, except that the College
may pay an additional stipend to a faculty member for service rendered where determined
appropriate. It is understood and agreed that all released/reassigned time awarded prior
to Fall, 2006 shall be of no effect, and that there shall be no entitlement to
released/reassigned time based upon past practice.
Nothing contained herein shall limit the authority of the College to grant
released/reassigned or in load assignments where determined appropriate and in
accordance with Article XII (B)(7) of the AFT Agreement.
13. Separately Budgeted Research/Faculty Development /Career Development
For all awards effective the 2006-2007 academic year and as long as this Agreement is in
effect Separately Budgeted Research, Faculty Development and Career Development
released/reassigned time awards shall be limited to the summer except by permission of
the Provost. Non-teaching monetary awards may be taken throughout the academic year
and summer.
14. Teacher Education/Other Educational Supervision
Effective September 1, 2006 faculty who perform teacher education or other educational
supervision such as law and society field studies supervision, shall not receive
released/reassigned time for such assignment, but such assignment shall be performed as
a flex unit where approved, and/or a stipend may be paid where appropriate.
15. Management Rights.
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Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to waive managerial rights of the
College as set forth in Article XL of the AFT Agreement, or as an agreement to negotiate
matters that are non negotiable although they may be referenced herein.
16. Modification
Upon 30 days written notice to the other, the College or the AFT local may petition the
other to meet and discuss a proposed amendment or modification of this Agreement
17. Duration and Termination
This Agreement shall remain in effect from November 16th, 2005 and shall continue
thereafter until the College gives at least one semester written notice to the AFT Local
that it will terminate the Unit Plan indicating the date upon which the Plan shall be
terminated. This Agreement shall be subject to negotiated changes made to the successor
Full Time/Part Time Collective Negotiations Agreement between the State of New Jersey
and the Council of New Jersey State College Locals, AFT, AFL-CIO.
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